There are certain experiences that leave such a negative, frightening imprint on the mind that nothing can permanently erase the pain. However, temporary relief can be attained by numbing our brain and blocking the memory from rising to the surface of consciousness. For centuries, humans have sought to obliterate painful memories by drinking them away. Alcohol has the power (again, temporarily) to shut down traumatic memories, so why wouldn’t we want to grab hold of it every time the past comes back to haunt us? Over the years I have encountered many people who have experienced unimaginable s ..read more

Depression is a common health condition. Indeed, it’s anticipated that, by 2030, it’ll be the world’s most common illness. Anyone can get depression, but it’s more common in people who have a family history of depression. In most cases, depressive episodes pass in time, though some people can experience intermittent depression throughout their life. In this post, we’ll look at some common symptoms of depression, as well as provide some information on treatment solutions and lifestyle changes that can help alleviate symptoms. Symptoms of Depression It’s important to note that depression affect ..read more

One of the most common traits shared amongst who abuse alcohol or drugs is intense discomfort in social situations. I think it's safe to say that all people feel some level of social anxiety. However, in my experience I have discovered that people with addictive personalities, heavy drinkers especially, struggled to feel comfortable in any type of social situation. What is Social Anxiety? Social anxiety is defined as a mental condition in which social interaction causes irrational anxiety or stress. In the simplest terms, those of us who suffer with social anxiety have a very difficult time b ..read more

Hello there, beautiful souls! Welcome back to our little corner of the internet, where we like to break down big scary terms into manageable nuggets, empowering you with knowledge and understanding. Today, we are going to take a closer look at the world of panic attacks - a condition that affects as many as 11 percent of Americans each year - in more detail. Below, we’ll take a deep dive into panic attacks and what you can do to prevent them from paying you a visit in the future, or at least what you can do to handle them they do, because although many people do not take them very seriously ..read more

Before we can begin to explore the various options that are available if you want to reduce or quit drinking, it's important to get a basic understanding of why we consume alcohol to excess in the first place. Everybody's experience with alcohol is different. No two people are the same when it comes to excessive drinking and substance abuse. All of us have our own specific reasons why we do certain things. We all make choices in life, good or bad, based on our personalities, upbringing, family dynamics, and social circumstances. There is no single answer as to why we do anything in life includ ..read more

One of the very first things I learned in early sobriety was that I was a person consumed by fear. Fear had played a dominant role in my life since I was a child. However, it wasn't until I actually got sober that I learned how destructive this part of my personality had become. Looking back now at those early days of sobriety, I am amused by all the neurosis, fears, and anxieties that plagued my mind every moment of every day. In the coming years as I developed a new and healthier life in sobriety, I would learn many things that would help me on my journey. I have been clean and sober for 15 ..read more

I’m going to start by stating clearly and in simple language that I am an alcoholic. I have been sober since 2007 and I thank God every single day for my recovery. Okay, now that that’s out of the way… There are millions of alcoholics in the United States (and millions more around the world). We all know that. But what happens if an alcoholic lives in your home? How do you deal with an alcoholic family member, especially if that family member is a human tornado of destructive behavior that threatens the quality of your life? I don’t want to sound uncaring, because as I stated I’m an alcoholic ..read more

I want to state clearly that in no way do I think that getting sober is easy. In fact, in my own personal experience, I found that getting sober was brutal and frightening. For several years I tried and failed miserably to get sober on my own using nothing but willpower. I knew with absolute certainty that I was an alcoholic, but I just couldn’t manage to stop drinking no matter how hard I tried. I would stop for a few days or weeks, but that was as far as I could get. I just couldn’t resist the temptation to drink again. And on and on it went without relief. My drinking continued, my problem ..read more

Let’s talk for a moment about butts. It seems that everyone who is an alcoholic or addict is addicted to butts. I was a butt addict myself. I was a real butt man. I loved butts. I wanted butts every day. Morning, noon and night I craved butts. Fortunately, I gave up butts long ago and I’m much happier and now that I no longer have butts in my life. Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m talking about cigarette butts, you pervs! Cigarettes seem to dangle from the lips of just about every alcoholic or addict who is new to recovery. If you’re a 12-stepper like me, you’ll know what it’s like to pas ..read more

Without hope, life loses its meaning. Hope lifts us. Hope gets us out of bed in the morning. Hope allows us to sleep peacefully at night. Hope provides us with anticipation and joy. Hope brings light into darkness. Hope helps us to push forward through difficult times. Hope fuels our desire to grow and improve as we plan for the future. As soon as we start to feel hopeless, life loses its color and flavor. Depression sets in and we become cynical and angry. We feel defeated…What’s the point? Who gives a crap? Once this started happening, once I began to feel hopeless, I drank MORE in an attem ..read more